2006, Focus Features, Dir. Allen Coulter - Starring Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Ben Affleck, Bob Hoskins, Robin Tunney, Joe Spano, Molly Parker, Kathleen Robertson, Caroline Dhavernas, Dash Mihok, Brad William Henke, Zach Mills, Larry Cedar, Lois Smith

Allen Coulter’s directorial debut Hollywoodland exposes something that hasn’t been seen on the silver screen since LA Confidential hit the jackpot nearly a decade ago. It has a certain je ne sais quoi, ranging from its dark, gritty illustration of Rodeo Drive to its group of complex, fascinating characters. But there’s more to this “unsolved mystery” than your average thriller - it never dwells on the conspiracy itself, but how the conspiracy came to consume everyone who dared to question it. There are people that we learn to love (such as our ill-fated hero, George Reeves) and those that we despise (the grease-palmed villain EJ Mannix), but in the end we realize that there’s no overcoming the guys in charge. This may prove to be a bitter movie experience for those expecting some sort of relevation in the aging Reeves case, but I found that our hero is given a treatment he deserved all his life. He is remembered for who he was, and not what he could have been - and director Coulter wins audiences with this strange amalgamation of murder, mystery, and family drama.

George Reeves (Affleck) was a B-list actor whose credits ranged from bit parts in Gone with the Wind and other small PSAs, but who won the hearts of children everywhere with his portrayal of the Man of Steel in The Adventures of Superman throughout the mid-1900s. But one late night after drunkenly playing the Spanish guitar for a few friends, Reeves retired to bed, only to be found 45 minutes later with a bullet wound through his head. The death is recorded as a suicide, leaving Americans (and especially children) shocked by the sudden change of heart for Mr. Reeves. But to private investigator Louis Simo (Brody), there’s more to this story. Some people, including Reeves’ mother (Smith), believe it was an act of murder, revealing a few new names for the papers. Reeves’ affair with Toni Mannix (Lane) - the wife of MGM General Manager EJ Mannix (Hoskins) - stopped abruptly after his quick engagement to moneygrubber Lenore Lemmon (Tunney). Toni’s jealousy, Eddie’s power, and Lenore’s golddigging lead to different alibis, all which Louis becomes engrossed in. And as Louis’ own divorce leads him to lose connection with his Superman-grieving son (Mills), he must save Reeves’ reputation as well as his own.

Mixing a number of actual private investigators to create the character of Louis Simo, writer Paul Bernbaum also fused the role with much personal conflict. This conflict is mastered by Adrien Brody, in giving one of the toughest performances in his career. Simo is not an invulnerable man, but simply a messenger trying to make a buck. He’s no Hollywood star, much less a corporate mastermind, and has his family to take care of. Brody’s character is not a very likable figure, but we do realize how serious Simo is in order to salvage the reputation of the hopeless George Reeves. Ben Affleck shines in his return to the screen, where he ironically plays an actor stranded in a typecasting crisis. Affleck is charming and daring - giving a respectful presentation of Reeves - and impressively versatile. Hollywoodland reveals a side of Affleck’s art that hasn’t been seen in a long time. Diane Lane’s power-hungry performance as Toni Mannix is pure diva - a lavacious misfit with a Hollywood bankroll, who mistakes her wealth as power. Lane’s chemistry with Reeves is surprisingly heavy-hitting for the movie, and fuels itself on much more than just jealousy. Bob Hoskins is, as always, a fantastic enemy - EJ Mannix is the stogie-smoking criminal that the audience, and history, expects him to be. His role is downplayed, but retains the same forceful presence.

Coulter’s final product is buried in themes, ranging from simple jealousy to the importance of family. Some of its targets are missed, others are pinpointed. If there’s one motif I’d like to discuss, it is the glory of George Reeves. Since his death, the actor’s career has been shortened to just the role of Superman. Hollywoodland is Coulter’s opportunity to remember the work of Reeves, albeit its short run. In the style of Kurosawa-esque flashbacks (a la Rashômon), Reeves’ final waking moments are re-enacted in different ways. After playing his Spanish guitar, his performance is consistently interrupted or dismissed by Lenore or others. Like his career, his true talent is ignored by the easily entertained. But as the film’s final flashback reveals, Reeves finishes his song, bows in silence, and thanks everyone for being there - before heading upstairs to his untimely demise. No answer is given on the culprit. No revelation is told about his mysterious death. But the best that director Coulter could do was to give George Reeves his time to really shine. The film’s reverence and respectful look is simply breathtaking, and proves to be one of the year’s most refined finales.

Hollywoodland is good noir, but not perfect. Although its retconed historical accounts can go off the record sometimes, Allen Coulter’s debut is very impressive. Brody and Affleck’s performances are worth the price of admission, and proves to be a very reflective period piece.